Device for drawing strips through perforated materials



y 9, 1939- I J T. CONKUN 2 ,157,593

DEVICE FOR DRAWING STRIPS THROUGH PERFORATED MATERIALS Filed Feb. 9,1939 Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR DRAWING STRIPSTHROUGH PERFORATED MATERIALS John T. Conklin, Binghamton, N. Y.,assignor to Endicott Johnson Corporation, Endicott, N. Y., a corporationof New York Application February 9, 1939, Serial No. 255,511

10 Claims.

This invention is a novel improvement in devices for drawing orthreading flexible strips through perforated flexible materials, and isparticularly adapted for use as a vamp lacing needle 5 or the like inthe manufacture of shoes.

The principal object of the invention is toprovide an elongated needle,mounted on a suitable fixed support, and adapted to be manually threadedthrough a row or series of holes or perforations in a perforated vampthrough which a leather or other ornamentation strip is to be threaded,the needle being hollow and having a wire extending therethrough loopedat its outer end, the loop normally projecting beyond the outer end ofthe needle but being movable axially of. the needle so as to bind theornamentation strip, which has its end inserted in the loop, to the endof the needle whereby as the vamp is being withdrawn from the needle theornamentation strip fixed to the needle will be threaded through the rowor series of perforations previously occupied by the needle in the vamp,or other material.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character in whichthe outer end of the needle is closed and rounded, and in which the wireloop extends through diametrically opposed perforations in the sidewalls of the needle adjacent said rounded end, whereby when the wire isretracted by treadle operated means to close the loop by the adjacentend of the needle, the engagement of the outer end of the loop with theouter rounded end of the needle will prevent undue flexing of the wireof the loop, thus preventing breakage of the wire, and moreover insuringthat the legs of the loop will remain properly spaced apart throughoutthe normal life of the device.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

Heretofore the above threading or drawing operation has usually been aslow and tedious operation done by hand; also vamp lacing needles havebeen used in which the needle has been provided with a hook on the outerend thereof into which the perforated end of the ornamentation strip wasengaged after the perforated vamp has been threaded on the needle.However, the provision in my device of the treadle operated loop,binding the ornamentation strip to the needle, renders the device easierand quicker to operate, and moreover obviates the necessity of havingtofirst perforate the end of the ornamentation strip and then manuallyengage the hook of the needle with said perforated end before removingthe vamp from the needle, and thus my device saves considerable delayand manual operations on the part of the operator.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable othersfamiliar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize inthe claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations ofparts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of the device showing a perforated vamp threadedonto the needle, and showing an ornamentation strip engaged in the loopof the needle in threading position.

Fig. 2 is .a longitudinal section through the device as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the positions assumed bythe parts when in normal position with the loop opened.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the loop and outer end of theneedle.

As shown, the device comprises a relatively long hollow needle i ofsmall diameter, rounded and closed at its outer end ia, and open at itsinner end. In the side walls of needle i adjacent the outer end la are apair of diametrically opposed perforations Ib. Needle. I is mounted in ablock 2 having a removable upper member 2a secured thereto by screws21), the opposing faces of the members 22a having opposed substantiallysemi-circular recesses to receive and securely clamp the needle thereinwhen screws 21) are tightened. Block 2 is mounted upon a base 3 havingperforations therein whereby same may be secured by screws 3a or thelike upon the top of a workbench B or the like with needle I pointing inthe direction of the operator or workman. The inner end of needle Iterminates within the area of base 3.

At the outer end of base 3 opposite the inner end of needle i is a pad 4secured to the base by screws 4a and having an upstanding perforated lugforming a bearing for a lever 5 having a pair of downwardly projectingperforated ears 5a at its lower end. A pivot pin 6 passes through theperforated ears 5a and through the perforated lug of pad 4. On lever 5above ears 5a are a pair of upstanding ears 5b in which is mounted a pin1; and a coiled spring 8, having one end hooked over pin 1 and itsopposite end secured by screw 2d to the top of block member 2a.,normally maintains lever 5 in raised position. On lever 5 above theupstanding ears 5b are a pair of superimposed clamp plates 50, 5dtransfixed by a screw 5e passing through the plates and into the lever.On the underside of lever 5, at the outer end thereof, is a pad 9secured by screws 5e, 5 which pad is pivotally connected as at Hid tothe upper end of a treadle rod l passing downwardly to a point adjacentthe floor F and having its lower end connected as at Hlb with a treadlell pivoted as at Ha on the floor, whereby as the treadle is depressedthe lever will be swung downwardly from normal position shown in Fig. 3to lowered position shown in Fig. 2 against the action of the spring 8.

A strip retaining loop, preferably consisting of a length of flexiblewire I2 doubled upon itself, extends through needle I, the legs of thewire passing into the needle through the opposed perforations lb at theouter rounded end of the needle. The free ends of the legs of wire i2extend out of the open inner end of the needle and pass under a guidepin l3 fixed in the upstanding cars 52; below the pin "i, the ends ofthe wire passing between the pair of clamp lates 5c, 5d and beingclamped therebetween by tightening the screw 5c. The length of wire I2is such that when the treadle I l is fully depressed, as in Figs. 1 and2 the outer end 12a of the wire loop will engage and conform with theouter rounded end la of needle I between the spaced perforations lb. Bythis construction the outer end of the loop lZa is prevented fromflexing through an are greater than that of the rounded end la of theneedle, thereby insuring against breakage of the wire, and said end lamaintaining the legs of the loop [2a properly spaced apart so that theloop will not become permanently closed after short usage of the device.

Treadle H is used by the operator for the purpose of closing wire loopl2a of the needle i, spring 8 normally maintaining the treadle raisedand the loop i2aopened to receive the end of the strip S which is to bethreaded, which strip is somewhat longer than the length of the seriesof perforations V in the vamp V, and strip S is preferably pointed orotherwise narrowed at its front end.

Loop [2a is initially closed by the operator stepping on the treadle,and while same is held closed the operator takes the pre-perforated vampV or other material, and manually threads same on the needle through asingle row of holes V, from one side of the vamp to the other, as shownin Fig. 1. When the needle is thus inserted through an entire row ofholes, treadle H is released to open the wire loop l2a, and into thesaid loop is inserted the narrowed tip end of a strip S as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, and the treadle is then again depressed to close the loopI200 and bind the end of strip S against the outer end of needle I. Thenwhile loop l2a is held closed, the operator removes the vamp V from theneedle by hand which motion simultaneously threads or draws the strip Sthrough the rows or series of holes in the vamp or other materialformerly occupied by the needle. The operation is then repeated forother rows of perforations V in the vamp or other material, as desired.

The above device is simple and efficient, and the use of the treadle Hfor opening and closing the loop 12a permits the operator to use bothhands in threading the vamp V onto needle I and in removing the vamptherefrom. Furthermore, the strip S which preferably has its front endpointed as indicated, is quickly attached to the end of the needlewithout necessitating perforation of the strip. Moreover, owing to theconstruction in which the legs of loop I2a pass through the spacedperforations lb in the outer end of the needle, bending of the loopthrough an are greater than the curvature of the outer end of the needleis prevented, and at the same time the legs of the loop are maintainedproperly spaced apart at all times regardless of the length of time thedevice is in service.

I do not limit my invention to the exact details shown in the drawing,for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of theclaims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character specified, comprising a fixed hollowneedle; a lever pivoted adjacent the needle; a loop member extendingthrough the needle and having one end secured to the lever, the loop ofthe member normally extending beyond the end of the needle opposite fromthe lever; and means for swinging the lever to retract the member andclose the loop by the adjacent end of the needle.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising a treadleoperatively connected with the lever; and means for normally maintainingthe treadle in raised position.

3. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 1, a pair of clampplates mounted on the lever; and the loop member comprising a wire, theends of the wire being held between said plates.

l. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 1, means forpreventing undue flexing of the outer end of the loop, and formaintaining the legs of the loop in constant spaced relation.

5. A device of the character specified, comprising a base; a hollowneedle mounted on the base having a rounded and closed outer end; saidneedle having diametrically opposed perforations in its sides adjacentthe outer end; a lever pivoted on the base; a looped wire having itslegs entering the needle through the opposed perforations respectively,said legs extending through the needle and being secured to the lever,and means for swinging the lever to retract the wire and engage theouter end of the loop with the closed rounded end of the needle.

6. In a device as set forth in claim 5, said means comprising a treadleoperatively connected with the lever; and means for normally maintainingthe treadle in raised position.

7. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 5, a pair of clampplates mounted on the lever; and the ends of the wire being held betweensaid plates.

8. A device of the character specified, comprising a base; a hollowneedle mounted on the base having an open inner end, and having arounded and closed outer end, said needle having diametrically opposedperforations in its sides adjacent the outer end; a lever pivoted on thebase and disposed opposite the open inner end of the needle; a loopedwire having its legs entering the needle through the opposedperforations respectively, said legs extending through the needle andbeing secured to the lever, and means for swinging the lever to retractthe wire and engage the outer end of the loop with the closed roundedend of the needle.

9. In a device as set forth in claim 8, said means comprising a treadleoperatively connected with the lever; and means for normally maintainingthe treadle in raised position.

10. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 8, a pair ofclamp plates mounted on the lever; and the ends of the wire being heldbetween said plates.

JOHN T. CONKLIN.

(ill.

